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Paying a visit to Gerry Brownlee’s Office…

A fresh opportunity for people to voice their frustrations and more importantly meet, network and plan for action is on the horizon. Rallies and marches have gone as far as they can go – it’s time to bring the fight against the profiteers closer to home.

Organisers for affordable social housing have announced –

Protest: Saturday 26th May

2:00pm

Gerry Brownlee’s Ilam Office

283 Greers Rd

Where better to start than outside the Minister for Earthquake Recovery’s office?

The Action for Christchurch East blog sums it up:

“Greedy landlords should be named and shamed, employers exploiting the crises should be held to account and the media forced to take notice. The people of Iceland have the right idea when it comes to how to deal with politicians!”

Since the article went on line people’s responses have been heartbreaking;

“just heard one family are paying double the rent from 340 to 680 They r leaving chch”

another writes,

“my m8s partner died 3 weeks ago and they were in a one bdrm state unit and coz it wasnt in her name they gave her 2 weeks to get out…hw sad is that, they didnt even give her tym to grieve, they were 2gether 4 ova 25 yrs”

The Otautahi Solidarity Network strives to put pressure on those that take advantage of other people’s misfortune. Through non-violent methods we can show communities there is a bad landlord in the neighbourhood, shame tenancy agencies into maintaining properties and publicly denounce bad employers. Our success will rely completely on the energy and time people can give. You could make all the difference.